How To Sew a Circle Skirt

The moment you’ve all been waiting for: a circle skirt tutorial that has the math already done for you! Download my FREE circle skirt template, and you’re ready to go!

For detailed instructions, watch my video tutorial here:

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I tried to address all the questions you guys have asked about circle skirts over the years: how to hem a circle skirt, how to avoid hemming (heh), how to determine how much fabric you need, what to do if your fabric isn’t wide enough to cut the skirt in one piece, and so on.

This particular tutorial (at least when it comes to the waistband style) is best suited for knit fabrics. If you want to make a circle skirt with a woven fabric, please see my pixie skirt tutorial for a waistband style better suited for non-stretch fabrics.

Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel!

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ARCHIVED TUTORIAL BELOW – The following is my original circle skirt tutorial, which includes the steps that show you how to do the math.

The awesome thing about circle skirts is that once you get the idea, you can use the same premise to make a variety of different styles all based on a simple circle skirt.

This tutorial is for a classic circle skirt (think 50’s style poodle skirt). The other variations of the circle skirt can be found here.

If your circle skirt turned out ginormous and you’re left scratching your head, check this out.

Difficulty:

Step 1

Cut a waistband out of stretchy fabric or stretch lace. It should be large enough to stretch over your hips, but small enough that it stays put on your waist. For shiggles, let’s say our example waistband is 40″ wide.

Step 1
Step 1

Step 2

I’m skipping ahead here for just a second to show what our end goal is.

What we want at the end of all of this is to wind up with a big donut shaped piece of fabric with the center hole’s circumference matching that of our waistband, so for our example, 40″.

Step 2
Step 2

Step 3

Thar be math ahead!! Don’t worry, it’s not hard, and I’ll walk you through it.

If you’re a little rusty on your geometry, let’s revisit. The circumference is the measurement aroouuuund the outside of a circle. The radius is the measurement from the center point of the circle to any point on the outside of the circle (the diameter goes all the way across the circle, and is two times the radius, but we don’t really need that here).

Step 3
Step 3

Step 4

MATH STUFF! HUZZAH! I’ll bet you love math as much as i do, so this part will be So Much Fun.

Before you try to skip the math and wing it, read this.

In order to cut an accurately sized hole (40″, remember?), we need the radius of the circle.

NOW…

let’s pause for a minute. I’m not going to go into great detail about this, but there’s something called ‘bias’ with fabric. It has to do with how the weave of the fabric effects the way the fabric drapes.

Cutting on the bias will make the fabric stretch. When you make a circle skirt, you’re going to wind up cutting part of it on the bias- no matter what you do, it can’t be avoided. Even with a non-stretch, woven fabric, it will stretch. Stretch fabrics will REALLY stretch when cut on the bias.

So if you’ve ever made a circle skirt, and you’ve done ALL the math right, and it still turned out a little too big, we shall blame bias.

To counteract bias, we need to make the hole smaller than we think we need it. So we will subtract 4 inches from the 40″ we are shooting for. That gives us 36″.

I know 4 inches sounds like a lot, but trust me here. You always want to shoot for smaller with a circle skirt (unlike most other things where larger is more easily fixed), because that can be fixed by cutting the hole bigger!

So even though we want a 40″ hole, we are going to do the math for a 36″ hole.

To get the radius, we use this equation:

radius = circumference divided by 2 times pi

and

2 times pi = 6.28

SO

radius = (36″) divided by (6.28)

radius = 5.7″

which is about 5 3/4″

Step 5

The next step is figuring out how much fabric we need. Circle skirts require a decent amount of fabric, so sometimes you’ll need to make your fabric donut out of 2 or even 4 different pieces of fabric.

Here’s how you figure it out:

Take your desired skirt length (minus the waistband), in our case it’s 16″, and add it to the radius measurement.

(Remember to account for hems and seam allowances!)

5.75 + 16 = 21.75″

Now multiply that times 2 and we have 43.5″.

Your piece of fabric must be at least 43.5″ in length and width in order to cut a circle skirt in 1 continuous piece.

Generally fabric comes in 45″ and 60″ widths, so as long as your piece of fabric is long enough, a skirt with these measurements is not a problem.

However, if you want a really long skirt, you will most likely have to piece together your giant donut in halves or quarters.

04
Step 5

NOTE!

This isn’t so much a step as a note, because the drawing illustrates a particular concern with circle skirts. Patterns. That top little skull guy is going to wind up being upside down on our skirt. Maybe you don’t care, that’s cool, but it’s something to keep in mind. One-way patterns will be upside down and sideways at various points on the skirt. If that bothers you, see the next step. If you cut your skirt in quarters with all of the pattern pieces oriented so the pattern stays right-side-up, you can avoid this issue.

You can avoid this by choosing patterns that aren’t one-way. Polka dots work fine. Or you can use one-way patterns to your advantage to get interesting designs. Stripes, for example, look pretty cool on a circle skirt because the stripes take on a curvy appearance. See an example here.

Looking for cute fabric? Try Fabric.com

Step 6

Okay, take a deep breath… we’re almost done.

If you have determined you can cut your skirt in 1 continuous donut, fold your fabric in half. And then in half again, so it’s folded in quarters. Make sure you get nice neat folds… you don’t want it to look sloppy like my drawing. And you don’t want wrinkles.

From the folded corner, measure 5 3/4″ out from that point in several places and then connect the dots with a curving line, so that you have a quarter circle.  Each point along the quarter circle should be 5 3/4″ away from the center point. (see the blue dots in the drawing.)

Now do the same thing for the length measurement.  You could measure 16″ from the 5 3/4″ line, but you’ll get more accurate results if you measure from the center point again. So just add those two together and measure 21 3/4″ from the center. (purple dots)

Cut where you’ve marked and…

Step 6
Step 6

Step 6 b.

If you’ve determined you won’t be able to cut your skirt in one continuous donut, you will wind up cutting your fabric something like the examples below.

The top illustration shows the circle skirt cut in 2 half circle pieces. You’ll need to add seam allowance to those straight edges so you don’t lose any circumference when you sew the pieces together. (If you don’t want to worry about seam allowances, you can piece your fabric together first, then fold and cut as shown in Step 6.)

The bottom illustration shows the circle skirt cut in 4 quarter pieces. Again, don’t forget the seam allowances.

In both illustrations, the fabric is in a single layer- no folds!

Step 6 b.
Step 6 b.

Step 7

Ta-da!

Look familiar?

Laying flat, the middle circle will be 36″, but when you open it up and let gravity have a tug at it, it’ll be much closer to 40″.

Measure it to make sure, and if you need to make it a little bigger, go ahead. Just take a sliver off that inner circle to make it a little bigger. Go slow, because like I said before, too big is harder to fix than too small.

Step 7
Step 7

Step 8

Attach the donut to your waistband, and you’re done!  If it turned out a little bigger than your waistband, just stretch the waistband a little as you sew them together.

You can use this same idea to add a flounce hem to a dress or skirt.

Done!
Done!

Okay, so now you’ve mastered the circle skirt. What else can you do with it? Check these ideas out!

Frequently Asked Circle Skirt Questions:

Why does the hem of my skirt wind up with longer bits after a few weeks?
Bias + Gravity =  Wonky Hems. Before hemming a circle skirt, let it hang on a hanger for a few days. After the fabric has stretched out, remeasure and trim the excess before hemming. I’ve read claims that even after this step, the fabric will continue to stretch, particularly if you’re using a heavier/stretchier fabric or you’re making a full length skirt. There really isn’t a way to keep it from stretching aside from relocating to a zero gravity environment. ? The best you can do is encourage the bias to stretch out before hemming and then even it up.

How do I make a circle skirt with an elastic waistband?
I have a tutorial for that here: https://whatthecraft.com/how-to-make-a-pixie-skirt-diy-fashion-tutorial/

Do I really need to subtract 2-4″ from my waist measurement to account for bias stretch? That seems like a lot.
First things first: If you’re making a skirt with an elastic waistband (see previous question), you don’t need to subtract from the waist measurement to account for bias. And by elastic, I mean ELASTIC. The stuff that comes in a width of 1″ or 2″ or 3″, etc. If you’re making a stretch waistband from fabric, I would suggest you account for bias stretch as suggested.

With most sewing, you’re better off making something too large than something too small, so I understand the worry. But when it comes to the waist of a circle skirt, it’s much easier to make the hole larger than to make it smaller. Yes, you could add a seam and take in the extra width. But then we did all that work to cut it in one piece for naught! (If you’re already cutting your skirt in more than one piece, you can ignore this.) Yes, you could gather the extra width into the waistband, but then we biffed it, right? It’s a salvageable biff, but a biff nonetheless.

So, what to do if you followed my advice to subtract all those inches from the waist, and now the waist is too small? Make the hole bigger! For every 1/4″ you take away from the waist, the circumference will get 1.5″ larger. Translation: a little trimming goes a LONG WAY.

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223 thoughts on “How To Sew a Circle Skirt

    1. … Nope, sorry! (I wish I could delete or edit my own messages to avoid cluttering you up!) Step 5 clarifies how much fabric one would need if the whole “doughnut” will fit into the length/width of the fabric. My “doughnut” is just a bit bigger than the width of the fabric, and it’s a one-directional pattern, so I’ll probably need to cut it in quarters. So how *do* I calculate how much to buy?
      Thanks for any available rules of thumb …

      1. You’ll need the ((“waist” radius) + (length) + (seam allowances)) x 4.
        So I think in your case that would be:
        (4.5″ + 21.5″ + 1″) x 4 = 108″

        108″ is exactly 3 yards.

    1. If you mean that the skirt stretches after you’ve sewn the hem- let the skirt hang for a few days before hemming. Re-measure it and even out the length before hemming.

      If you mean that sewing the hem itself is problematic, I have a video tutorial that I’ve allllmost finished that has some tips for the hem.

  1. Not sure if any one has asked this but:
    Waist is 29″ (including the 4″for bias)
    Skirt length is 26″

    Will I have to make it in halves?
    If so/not how much fabric will I need?

    Thanks much, your tut rocks!

    1. You’re sooooo close to being able to cut it in 1 piece. You’ll need a piece of fabric 61″ x 61″. Most woven fabrics come in 44″ width, and most knits and special occasion fabrics are 58-60″ width. If you knocked off 1/2″ from the length, you could cut it in one piece if you had 60″ wide fabric.

      If you cut it in halves, you’ll need 61″ for each half, so 122″.

      I have an updated video version of the tutorial on the way that explains all this in more detail. Once Halloween is over, I can hopefully get it finished up.

  2. I feel like I’m missing something about the waist.
    If I need a 30″ waist band, and I make the skirt waist smaller than that, how will it stretch over the hips?
    Shouldn’t my fabric waist radius be larger than the elastic to allow for the stretch when pulling up over the hips?

    1. It really depends on how you’re making the skirt- for the sake of someone needing the waistband to measurement to be exact as possible, I included the instructions about cutting the waist smaller.

      If your waistband is going to be stretchy, then yes- you can cut the skirt waist to accommodate the hip measurements. Though if you’re using a knit/stretch fabric, it will likely be able to stretch over your hips or over your head/bust, even though it’s cut to fit your waist. Obviously it depends on a person’s measurements, but I have 10″+ difference between my natural waist and my hips and I’ve never had a problem with it.

      If you’re making a waistband that doesn’t stretch, you’d cut the waist smaller per the directions and put in a zipper.

      1. Thank you for the quick response. I need these skirts for this weekend for a Halloween costume.

        I have a 10″ difference between waist and hip, and fabric with absolutely no stretch, so I’m going to add about 6″ to the waist circumference and hope for the best.

        I’ll keep you posted…

        Lisa

  3. Thank you sooooo much! This was so easy to follow! 1 skirt down and 1 to go. My girls are going as Fluttershy (human) and Dark Super girl. I figured the skirts would be pretty easy, but your site made it a cinch. 🙂

  4. This is by far the best explanation! If only I had found the info about the bias and subtracting a few inches! Luckily im pregnant so I can cleverly pin it for now! Thanks for the help!

  5. Thank you so much. This tutorial helped me successfully make a circle skirt. I now want to attach a border from a lace, but since the skirt is circular and lace being a long rectangular i’m unable to attach it to skirt its crumpling. Could you pls advice how to attach a border of a different color material or a lace to circular skirt? Thanks in advance!!

    1. Lace that is about 3″ wide or less can usually be sewn to a hem without problems. The other option is to gather the lace or trim, which will allow it to follow the curve nicely.

  6. Thanks for your response, i am able to achieve adding lace to hem(ie lace hanging down from the hem) , but attaching a lace like a border to the skirt, ie. from hem to couple of inches above the skirt is what i’m facing issues with. Hope my ask is clear

  7. Hey Lex!
    I’ve chosen my fabric and I have all of my notions in hand, thanks to your tutorial! Here is my situation…I’ve seen circle skirts with a bit of tulle trim at the bottom, simulating a petticoat. Have you any idea how to accomplish this? I have plenty of the 6″ spools on-hand but I’m not sure how wide to do the ruffle…6″ or cut it down to perhaps 3″.
    Your assistance is greatly appreciated!
    ~Suzie
    Jacksonville Beach, FL

    1. Instead of hemming the bottom of the skirt, you can sew the tulle “right sides together” (though tulle doesn’t generally have a wrong side) around the bottom edge of the skirt. You’ll want to gather the tulle so it will conform to the curve of the hem. Press the seam towards the skirt when you’re finished sewing the tulle down and topstitch over the seam. It’s actually quite a bit easier than hemming the skirt, in my opinion.

      You can leave the tulle at 6″ or skip cutting it and fold it in half for a double thickness of 3″, which gives the bonus of a little extra volume.

  8. I am way bigger in my hips, so even with elastic top – zipper or something is required or it is too big at my waist. 3/4 circles are too tight at my hips even.

    But zippers suck to install. And are very boring. Grommets are awesome.

    Save removed fabric. Cut skirt open. Hem with iron on stabilizer and backing fabric if needed. Add grommets. Lace up. Add backing if needed. Or just wear tights. Or another skirt. Or whatever. Add a second set if you need more room. I put mine in front, about at my hips.

    Or just wear the skirt really low.

    1. Another option: depending on your bust measurement, try putting the skirt on over your head instead of over your hips. I’ve solved many a problem this way, myself. 😉

      1. Nope, my boobs come in at 44″. Hips are 45″. Waist is 31″ without corset, 26″ with corset. I’m all kinds of curvy. Need an opening or wearing very low. As in on my hips low.

  9. Thank you so much for this tutorial! The way you explained how to calculate the dimensions for the skirt was fantastic! Looking forward to making many more in the future 🙂

  10. Thank you so much! I do not sew at all and needed to make a poodle skirt for myself for a party. I found another site that told me to use felt so I wouldn’t have to sew a hem. Your directions were great. I did as you said about the waist and it was a bit big, but I can correct that with some velcro….I am not complaining because that means I measured my waist too big, which is a relief to me! Thank you again!

  11. Hi just trying to make pull on bell bottoms to go over pants for a costume for my daughters group, do you think this pattern would work for that, or be too full? Just going to try it with a spare piece of material.

  12. Great tutorial! Do you think there would be a way to do the pieces in six pieces? I want to make a skirt with 6 different panels of color. Just curious if that would work instead of four!

  13. What is the trick to printing the circle skirt template? When I print it, that square does NOT measure 4×4?
    ps – your youtube tutorial is awesome!

    1. Sorry, most of the patterns have instructions for this, but I didn’t think about how the circle skirt template doesn’t have instructions.

      If the square does not measure correctly, check your printer settings. The patterns should be printed at 100% size, so when you reprint, uncheck any boxes that say something like “96% actual size” or “Scale to Fit”.

  14. HI Lex,

    Thank you so much for your tutorial. I am a beginner at sewing and would really love to make this skirt. I am unsure of the amount of fabric I will need, and how to cut it. Could you please help me?
    My waist is 25.5 inches and I would like to make this skirt approximately 39.5 inches (inclusive of a hem allowance.)
    I would really appreciate some advice,
    Thank you so much,
    Rebecca

    1. For a high waist, cut the waistband to fit your natural waist. But cut the hole for the circle to fit either your bust (if you want to put it on over your head) or your hips (if you want to pull it over your hips). You’ll need to stretch the waistband to fit the waist-hole of the skirt. If the waistband fabric won’t stretch enough to fit the waist-hole, use a wide elastic instead.

  15. Hi. I am making a circle skirt for a lady in a wheel chair and she has to put it over head I am using pinwheel corduroy which doesn’t stretch do I use the measurement of her shoulders to cut the waist out and she does want the color spandex elastic she wants a regular waist band how do I measure for that thanks for any help you can give me

    1. Yes, I would measure her shoulder for the waist-hole.
      If you want the waistband fabric to match the skirt, you’ll either need to add a closure (like a zipper) or make a casing for the elastic with the corduroy fabric. You won’t be able to do a “self casing”, they don’t really work with circle skirts. The casing would need to be a separate piece that you sew to the skirt.

  16. Would I make the waist band the size of waist-hole and cut the elastic the size of her waist and thread it though the waist band thanks for the quick response .

  17. Hello!
    Not sure if anyone asked this, but if I want to make the skirt with elastic casing instead of just elastic sewn on top, would I use the same measurements you explained?

    Thanks, love your tutorial!

    1. I would use your hip measurements for the casing and the “waist hole”. If the casing is cut to fit your waist, you may not be able to get it over your hips.

  18. If I am doing the circle skirt in 4 separate pieces will the radius and also the length of the skirt be divided into 4?

    1. No, the radius and length will stay the same regardless of whether you cut your skirt in 1, 2, or 4 pieces.
      If you watch the video, I make a paper template of the skirt in the first step. The paper template is basically one quarter of the whole skirt, so it would be helpful to watch. After making your own paper template, you can use it to cut the 4 pieces you’ll need for your skirt. Just remember to add seam allowances when you start cutting your fabric.

  19. Hi! I’m trying to sew my very first circle skirt, and I’ve run into a small problem. I want to add a brocade border to the bottom of my skirt. The brocade is about 5 inches in width. Now, my question is that will I have to cut the brocade into a circular shape to fit the skirt, or can I just attach the straight brocade to the circular edge of my skirt (I hope that makes sense!).

    1. Sewing a straight edged trim to a circle skirt hem is problematic. Even if you managed to sew it, the skirt wouldn’t hang right when finished.
      There are a few ways to get around it:
      1. Use bias tape, which can conform to a curve quite nicely.
      2. Use a narrow width of trim (1″ or less, I’d say).
      3. Gather the trim, which will allow it to follow the curve of the hem. (Even widely spaced pleats will do the trick. See an example here: http://youtu.be/JH1RAXJin0I?t=8m23s)
      4. Cut the trim into a circle shape (which would be pretty difficult with only 5″ of width to work with. You’d probably be better off cutting the trim down and going with suggestion #2 in this case.).

      1. Thank you for replying, I really appreciate it!

        I’m leaning towards option 2 myself, but what is this bias tape you speak of? And when you say use bias tape, do you mean that I attach the brocade on the bias tape first and then sew it onto the main portion of the skirt? (Forgive my ignorance, but this is my first time doing any type of sewing)

  20. Ahh I understand now. Again, thank you so much for replying back. I haven’t actually bought the material yet, but I know that I want the brocade trim to be about 5 inches in width. If the 5 inches don’t work out I’ll take your suggestion and just reduce the width of the brocade.

    Also, and I promise this will be my last question, I saw your tutorial for a double circle skirt and this made me want to add more flow to my maxi skirt. Originally, I had planned to use two pieces of fabrics, cut out two semi circles, and then attach them at the raw edges, creating my circle skirt. But now, I want to add half a circles worth of more fabric, so how do I calculate the waist cut out? Do I just divide my waist measurement by 4.5 instead of 4?

    1. Alright, prepare to be confused. 🙂
      To create a skirt that is comprised of 3 half circles, you’re essentially making a one-and-one-half circle skirt. We need the fraction version of that, so 1.5 written in fraction form is 3/2.
      To figure out the circumference you want, you’ll need the “reciprocal”, which is really just the fraction flipped upside-down. In this case, it’s 2/3.
      Multiply your waist measurement by the reciprocal (2/3). That is the circumference you should use to create a template, exactly the same way you would for a normal circle skirt. And you’ll need THREE half circles. Or SIX quarter circles. Remember to add seam allowances.

      So here’s a “real math” example using 32 as my waist measurement.
      32 x 2/3 = 21.3″
      21.3″ is my “new” circumference.

  21. Something I didn’t see mentioned: when you cut any part of a skirt on the bias, after it’s sewn you MUST hang it up and let it fully stretch out (a day or so). The bias parts will stretch, making the hemline longer in those places. Then measure from the waist to the hem to even it up before actually hemming.

  22. This tutorial was so easy to follow. I had my granddaughters skirt cut out and totally finished within 30 minutes. Thanks so much. Now i can not wait to make a ton more of these.

  23. OMG!!! You are a LIFE SAVER!!!! I’ve been struggling for THREE days trying to get a circle skirt made for my Granddaughter for tonight!!! You were the ONLY one that explained this well enough for me to get it FINALLY cut out!!! I’m off to make the elastic waist, get it sewn in and put the finishing touches on it!

    THANK YOU!!!!!!

  24. If I am using cotton fabric and a 2 inch wide elastic waist band should I cut 4″ smaller of radius and the waist band?

    1. Trim about 1/4″ from around the waist “hole”. If 1/4″ isn’t enough, take off another 1/4″.
      Every 1/4″ will result in about a 1.5″ difference in the waist size, so you don’t want to take off too much at once.

      circleskirt

  25. Thank you so much for the tutorial!! I am confused how to add seam allowances. If I add 1/2″ to my quarter template, won’t that make the waist hole too big??

    1. If your skirt will be one continuous “donut”, you don’t need to add seam allowances. You can add a hem allowance to the bottom, if necessary.

      If you need to cut your skirt in more than one piece, the seam allowances are added to the sides only. There’s an illustration showing what I mean here: https://youtu.be/JH1RAXJin0I?t=9m43s

  26. I just made two skirts today, for my 10 year old and almost 3 year old girls. I had to trim just a half-inch from the waist for the bigger one’s waist, but other-wise the directions made it perfect first time out. Took 2 hours for skirt 1 and just an hour for skirt 2, which includes adding a poodle appliqué to each. Thanks!

  27. I’ve made tons of circle skirts before but I always get insecure about the measurments before cutting (fabric is expensive and circle skirts use a lot, so I don’t want any to go to waste because of my bad math!). I keep coming back to this tutorial to double-check my technique. Hopefully one day I’ll be able to memorize steps, but I really love this tutorial!

  28. I’m going to be making the double full handkerchief skirt, and my only concern is that if I cut the 4″ out to make up for the fabric bias, will it still stretch to fit over my hips/butt as I’m pulling it up? I’m doing the 40″ waist and have 44″ hips at the widest point, so cutting the hole down to 36″ makes me worry a bit.

    Thanks!

  29. Hi! Thanks so much for the awesome tutorial! When I print the waist measurement guide, the square is measuring 5×5 instead of 4×4. I’ve printed on both “actual” and “fit” options, and both yield the same results. Any suggestions?

    Thanks so much!

    Laney

    1. Hmmm… that is odd. Does the guide get cut off when you print, as well? Or print onto multiple pages? It should fit all on one page.
      In any case, 5 inches is 20% larger than it should be. So try printing it at 80%.

  30. I want to make one of these for my step-daughter but the fabric she’s chosen is cotton, not much stretch if any. From the previous comments I’m gathering that you make the ‘waist hole’ as big as the largest part of the hips to ensure she can get it pulled up and then do the elastic/stretchy waistband and gather it, is that correct? Thanks!

  31. I so wish you had used felt as an illustration for adult size as that is what 50s skirts are made of usually. No bias and not sure about 4″. For teens so longer than what these are

    1. It would be impossible to create a tutorial that fits everyone’s needs when it comes to fabric, style, etc., unfortunately. Because my background is fashion design, I chose to illustrate in terms of using common apparel fabrics. The tutorial can be adapted, of course, for many other fabrics and uses with a little critical thinking on the reader’s part. Exactly as you have done.

      For felt, I would make the skirt “to size” by omitting the concerns about bias. Should you find you need a little extra room, you can trim a small amount from the waist “circle”. Trimming 1/4″ will make the hole about 1.5″ wider, so don’t trim too much at once.

      A felt skirt will also require a closure, so you’d be better of constructing it in at least 2 pieces (Step 6b). Don’t forget to add seam allowances.

  32. Awesome! As soon as I read this I knew just what to do with some knit fabric I’ve had for 10 years! I made it this afternoon in about 30 minutes and it is so comfortable! Thanks for the great tutorial!

  33. Your tutorial is awesome! I’m getting a better understanding of how to cut my skirt. I’m a plus size girl so I’m probably the challenge. I bought, by mistake,online, (2) 5 yards of 60in wide cotton/poly blend fabric. I want to make a 3 inch waist, 40 inch long maxi circle skirt. My waist is 42. I get a calculation of 6.68 waist radius. I will be using both to cut out the skirt on unfolded fabric.(the first illustration in step 6b) How do I cut out the radius for the waist and the length on the unfolded fabric? I hope this question makes sense. Thank you soooo much. you’re awesome!
    Beverly

  34. Thank you for this tutorial. I have not made a full circle skirt as of yet, but I have made a great deal of semi-circle dresses (with two panels). I’ve take a peplum top a just extended the length of the peplum to dress length. However, in doing that my finished garment comes out perfectly. But, after hanging for at least two weeks, the fabric starts to stretch out creating a bow shaped hemline. I’ve preshrunk my fabric and handled it with care during construction. I’ve been told not to hang the dress ON a hanger, but to instead hang it OVER the horizontal part. This may be fine if I wanted to keep my pieces for myself, but everyone always asks if I could construct something for them as well. You’ve touched on fabric stretching in the waistband area, but how can I counteract stretching at the hemline? I know this thread is an older one, but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE help me!!!…

    1. You need to hang the dress/skirt before hemming. After you’ve let it hang and the fabric has stretched out, remeasure and trim the excess before hemming. I’ve seen some people claim that even after this step, the fabric will continue to stretch, particularly if you’re using a heavier/stretchier fabric or you’re making a full length skirt. There really isn’t a way to keep it from stretching aside from relocating to a zero gravity environment. 😀 So the best you can do is encourage it to stretch before hemming and then even it up.

  35. I would like to use a soft elastic as the waistband but I am unsure how to attach elastic to a circle skirt. Any tips?

  36. what about cutting the circle skirt in and un even pattern at the bottom to counteract the stretching issue?

    1. The problem is that the amount of bias stretch is different from fabric to fabric. But if you were going to make more than one skirt from the same fabric, I don’t see why this wouldn’t work.

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